1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for the handling and control of livestock. More specifically, this invention relates to devices for initiating the movement of livestock by provoking a flight response from the animal by introducing an external stimulus to the animal. Still more specifically, this invention relates to devices that provoke movement of livestock by applying the vibrating head of the battery powered handheld unit to the external portions of the animal such as the sides and rump causing discomfort but no pain, persuading the animal to move in the desired direction.
2. Description of Related Art
Intensive livestock production has evolved into an industry that processes millions of animals each year. Livestock handling often requires the handler to use a handling tool when moving animals. The animals are typically moved through a stressful handling and processing procedure inside buildings and/or into transport trucks. Since domestic animals are often hesitate or will refuse to willingly enter a dark and/or foreign handling area, a handling tool is typically used to invoke forward movement by the animals. The most common animal handling tool currently in use is the electric livestock prod, which delivers a painful electric shock to exterior areas of the animal. Generally, electric prods are not designed for use on swine, sheep and horses, but nevertheless, such prods are regularly used on these animals. Abuse of animals can and does occur due to overuse or indiscriminate prodding of livestock that either cannot or will not move. Subsequent damage to the livestock in the form of bruising and debilitating injury is common and often this injury is directly attributable to misuse of the electric prod. In the case of swine, stress related death is common and can be a direct result of electric prod abuse. Animal welfare practices are being adopted by livestock groups at an ever-increasing rate and electric prod abuse and future elimination of this painful tool is becoming a popular topic.
Other tools utilized to move livestock include the sort stick, a handheld fiberglass pole, which can also be misused causing bruising and injury to the animals, and the sort paddle, a popular, handheld, lightweight directional aid that does not cause harm to the animals. Since most domestic livestock respond readily to any external stimulus, the invention described herein fits well into the category of a viable, economical, pain free and ethical alternative to conventional livestock handling tools.
The reader is referred to the following U.S. patent documents for general background material, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material contained therein: 4,006,390, 4,084,218, 4,167,036, 4,21 8,990, 4,242,71 5, 4,337,496, 4,370,696, 4,394,956, 4,667,431, 4,717,384, 4,71 9,534, 4,852,454, 4,875,253, 4,953,263, 4,997,127, 5,359,251, 5,471,951, 5,566,643, 5,624,592, 5,749,324, D244,626, D250,050, D257,495.
It is desirable to provide a livestock-handling device, which can effectively move livestock using external stimulus without injuring the animals. Moreover, it is particularly desirable to provide such a device that is cost-effective, easy to use, and is a humane tool for managing animals.
Therefore, it is the general object of this invention to provide a device which when applied to external areas of livestock, such as sheep, swine, horses and cattle will induce forward movement by utilizing vibration and noise stimulus.
It is another object of this invention to provide a device, which is battery power, which can be used to induce movement of livestock.
Another object of this invention is to provide an easy to operate and maintain, handheld device to move livestock.
A further object of this invention is to provide a handheld device for moving livestock that does not injure the animals.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a unique livestock-handling device that is cost effective to make and use.
It is a still further object of this invention is to provide a livestock-handling device the use of which reduces painful, stressful and costly bruising, carcass damage and stress related deaths to animals.
These and other objects of this invention are achieved by the device herein described and are readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following drawings, detailed description and claims.